✦   Fides quaerens intellectum   ✦

St. Vincent's Thomistic Reading Group

Church of St. Vincent Ferrer  ·  New York
Next Meeting
Date
Thursday, November 5, 2026
Time
7:00–8:00 PM
Summa of the Summa, by St. Thomas Aquinas, edited and annotated by Peter Kreeft · selected readings
The Parlors · red brick building on Lexington Ave. between E. 65th & E. 66th Streets
All are welcome — even if you have not done the reading.
See full 2026–27 schedule ↓
+ Add to Calendar Full season
Saint Thomas Aquinas — Sandro Botticelli, c. 1481
Sandro Botticelli  ·  Saint Thomas Aquinas  ·  c. 1481
“The perfection of the intellect is truth as known.”
Saint Thomas Aquinas · Summa Theologiae I, Q. 16, Art. 2
1225 – 1274  ·  Doctor Angelicus  ·  Patron of Schools and Universities

Born in Roccasecca and drawn to the Dominicans against his family's wishes, Thomas studied under Albert the Great in Cologne and Paris, then taught at the University of Paris and the papal court. His best-known work, the Summa Theologiae, wove Aristotelian philosophy into Christian revelation and became a cornerstone of scholastic thought. He died at forty-eight, was canonized in 1323, and was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1567.

Current Reading

Summa of the Summa

St. Thomas Aquinas · edited and annotated by Peter Kreeft
For November 5, please read
  • pp. 32–33 — Prologue
  • pp. 35–37 — Part I, question 1, article 1
  • pp. 60–70 — Part I, question 1, article 3
  • pp. 126–128 — Part I, question 13, article 5

About 20 pages. All are welcome, even if you have not done the reading.

2026–27 Schedule

All meetings begin at 7:00 PM in the Parlors, except where noted.

Sept. 10 — Introduction and Chapter 1
Sept. 24 — Chapter 2
Oct. 8 — Chapter 3 through page 103
Oct. 22 — Chapter 3, page 103 to end; Chapter 4
Nov. 5 — Summa of the Summa: Prologue, I q.1 a.1, I q.1 a.3, I q.13 a.5
Nov. 19
Dec. 3
Dec. 10
Christmas Break
Jan. 14
Jan. 28
Feb. 11
Feb. 25
March 11
Easter Break
April 8
April 22 — Parish Center (Laity have the Parlors)
May 6 — Ascension
May 20

About the Group

The Thomistic Reading Group at St. Vincent Ferrer meets roughly every two weeks to read and discuss texts in the tradition of Saint Thomas Aquinas — including Aquinas himself, his commentators, and scholars who have engaged seriously with the Thomistic intellectual heritage.

Founded in the autumn of 2024 and moderated by a Dominican friar of the parish, the group welcomes anyone drawn to the intersection of faith and reason. No prior background in philosophy or theology is required.

To join the mailing list or ask a question, write to gregorymcniff@gmail.com. The group is free and open to all. For parish information visit svsc.info.

What to Expect

A member introduces the evening's reading, and the conversation flows freely from there, with Fr. Francis Belanger, O.P., offering context and direction. Meetings run about an hour. Feel free to come even if you'd like to just listen.

Fr. Francis Belanger, O.P.
Parochial Vicar
Moderator of the Thomistic Reading Group
Gregory McNiff
Organizer
gregorymcniff@gmail.com

Location

We meet in the Parlors — the red brick building on the parish block along Lexington Avenue between E. 65th and E. 66th Streets, immediately next to the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer.

869 Lexington Ave. at E. 66th St.
New York, NY 10065
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